Cluster of plural-lamp sockets.



1%.. 721,780. V PATENTED' MAR. 3-, 1903.

R- B; BENJAMIN CLUSTER 0F PLURAL LAMP. socxms; APPLICATION IILED'JULY 18, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

mwm

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF

PORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- CLUSTEFI OF. PLURAL-LAMP SOCKETS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 721,780, dated March 3, 1903.

Application filed July 18, 1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illi- 5 nois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cluster or Plural-Lamp Sockets, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cluster or plural-lamp sockets, my object being to provide an improved construction in which the lamp-holding devices and their as-- r igociated contacts are all mounted upon the ase. v

The invention therefore consists in the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a sectional view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a face view thereof, the center of the cover being broken away. Fig. 3 is a front detail view of one of thelamp-holding devices. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the other device, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of 0 the latter device.

In the figures, 2 designates the base, which consists, preferably, of a metal casting hav ing the flat sides or sections (shown more clearly in Fig. 2) and carryingupon said fiat 5 sides the lamp-holding devices. These devices comprise each the insulating-block 3, secured to the base by suitable screws 4 and having the forwardly-extending tubular portion 5, projecting through an aperture in the cover 6. Within the part 5 is located the metallic threaded shell 7, adapted to receive and make contact with the threaded shell of the lamp-base, said shell having inwardly-turned flanges at its rear end, over which the arcshaped strip 9 is secured, as by screws 10 or by soldering, or by both methods. This strip is provided with an outwardly-extending end 11, passing through a suitable aperture in the wall of the portion 5, and which end 11 is secured to the metallic ring 12, passing en- Serial No. 116,084. (No model.)

tirely around the raised portion of the base and carrying a binding-screw 13 to receive one of the circuit-conductors brought from the rear through the hole 14 in the'base.

The center contact is formed by asubstantially straight strip 15, secured to the block 3 by screw 16 and having the raised innerend to provide a spring-contact for the center contact of the lamp and being secured at its inner end to ring 17, passing nearly or entirely around the lower part of the base and having a binding-post 18 to receive the end of one of the conductors 19, passing from the rear through the aperture 20.

The lamp-holding device on the right comprises the similarly-formed insulating lampreceiver, except that the tubular portion is internally threaded, as at 21, to receive the lamp-base and is provided with a slot, in which the outer terminal 22 'is located and which bears against the metallic shell of the lamp when it is inserted. This terminal-strip extends through the wall of the tubular portion and is secured by screw 23 in position on the block 3, its lower terminal being socured to the ring 17, by which it is connected in the electric circuit. The center terminal 24, which yieldingly presses against the center contact of the lamp, is formed from a strip passing through an opening'in the wall of the tubular portion 5 and secured in place by screw 25, its outer endbeing secured to ring 12 to connect the same with the circuit.

The cover 6 is secured in position bya screw 26, threading into a projection 27 in the base 2, whereby the same may be readily removed whenthe screw is taken out, the material of which it is made and its shape permitting the same to be temporarily distorted sufficiently to permit its removal or placing in position.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a plural-lamp socket, the combination with a suitable base, of a pluralityof insulating-blocks mounted upon said base, each of said blocks carrying a lamp-holding device and associated contacts, a metallic cover or shell fitting over said insulating-blocks and provided with an opening opposite each lampholding device and suitable means for positively holding said cover in position rotaril y, substantially as described.

2. In a plural-lamp socket, the combination with a suitable base, of a plurality of insulating-blocks mounted therein, each of said blocks being provided with a recess in the end, a lamp-holding device and associated contacts provided in connection with each of said recesses and contact-terminals upon the exterior of each of said blocks and connecting respectively with the contacts within said recesses, electrical conductors connecting said contact-terminals in circuit relation, a shell fitting over said insulating-blocks and provided with an opening opposite each of said recesses and suitable means for positively holding said cover in position rotarily, substantially as described.

3. In a plural-lamp socket, the combination with a suitable base, of a plurality of insulating-blocks mounted therein, each of said blocks being provided with means for securing the same to said base and with an outwardly-extending annular portion, a shell or cover having an opening opposite each of said annular portions, a lamp-holding device and associated contacts provided in connection with each of said insulating-blocks and suitable electrical connections for connecting said contacts in circuit relation and means associated with said annular portions for holding said cover in position rotarily, substantially as described.

4. In a plural-lamp socket, the combination with a suitable base, of a cover or shell hav inga plurality of openings therein, a plurality of insulating-blocks mounted upon said base and having outwardly projecting annular portions extending through the openings in said cover to hold the same in position rotarily, and a 1am p-holdiug device and associated contacts provided in connection with each of said insulating-blocks, substantially as described.

5. In a plural-lamp socket, the combination with a suitable base, or" a plurality of insulating-blocks, each of said insulating-blocks comprising a base proper and an outwardlyextending annular portion, a threaded lampholding device within said annular portion, a pair of contacts Within said annular portion, and electrical connections extending therefrom to terminals upon the exterior of said annular portion, metallic strips for connectiug said terminals in circuit relation and a shell orcover having an opening opposite each of said annular portions and arranged to be held in position rotarily by said annular portions, substantially as described.

6. In a plural-lamp socket, the combination with a metallic base of truncated form, having flat faces upon oblique sides thereof, of a plurality of fiatfaced insulating blocks mounted upon said flat faces and each carrying a lamp-holding device and associated contacts, a shell or cover having an opening opposite each of said lamp-holding devices and held in position rotarily by said insulatingblock, substantially as described.

7. A cluster-socketcomprising a suitable base,a plurality of insulating-blocks mounted upon said base each of said blocks carrying a lamp-holding device and associated contacts, a finishing cap or cover inclosing the same and having an opening opposite each of said lamp-holding devices and parts carried upon said insulating-blocks adapted to engage said cover to hold the same rotarily in position.

8. A lamp cluster comprising a suitable base, a plurality of insulating-blocks mounted thereon each carrying a lamp-holding device and associated contacts, a finishing cover or shell fitting over said insulating-blocks and provided with an opening opposite each of said lamp-holding devices, said insulatingblocks being provided with on twardly-extending insulating portions adapted to engage the walls of said openings in the cap to hold said cover in position rotarily.

9. A cluster-fixture comprising a suitable base, a plurality of insulating-blocks mounted thereon each carrying a lamp-holding device and associated contacts, a finishing cover or shell fitting over said insulating-blocks and having an opening opposite each block to accommodate the lamp-bases, said insulatingblocks being provided with outwardly-extending annular portions adapted to extend through the openings in the shell, said shell having suflicient resiliency to permit the same to spring over the edges of said annular portions whereby the shell is held rotarily in position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN.

IVitnesses:

C. B. CAMP, W. CLYDE JONES. 

